$JES 401 Jain Philosophy and Practice 2 Level 4 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 85

A third of the surface of North America is devoted to grazing Half of American croplands grow livestock feed for meat and dairy products 2% of US cropland produces fruits and vegetables while 64% of US cropland is for producing livestock feed One acre of prime land can produce 5,000 lb. of Cherries, 10,000 lb. of Green beans, 30,000 lb. of Carrots, 40,000 lb. of Potatoes, 50,000 lb. of Tomatoes, or 250 lb. of Beef 220 million acres of land in the USA have been deforested for livestock production 85% of the annual US topsoil loss is directly associated with raising livestock Cost Comparison The cost of raw materials consumed to produce food from livestock is greater than the value of all oil, gas and coal consumed in America. Growing grains, vegetables and fruits uses less than 5% as much raw materials as does meat and dairy production 2 calories of fossil fuel are used to produce 1 calorie of protein from soybeans, while 78 calories of fossil fuel are used to produce 1 calorie of protein from beef 6.9 kg of grain and soybeans is needed to make 1 kg of boneless trimmed pork
Solution to World Hunger Problem According to "Diet for a New America": If Americans reduce their meat/dairy intake by just 10%, the savings in grains and soybeans could feed 60 million people per year worldwide. About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger related causes. Three fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.
Rejection of Drinking Liquor For the observance of the Nonviolence Vow (Ahimsa-Vrata), it has been specifically laid down that a person should renounce drinking alcohol. According to the sacred text of Purushärtha Siddhi-Upaya, "alcohol stupefies the mind; one whose mind is stupefied forgets piety; and the person who forgets piety commits violence without hesitation." It is important to understand the process of production of alcohol and beer. The storage for it for several years involves growth of many living beings. Significant dishonorable passions like anger, pride, deceit, greed, fear, disgust, ridicule, grief, boredom, and lust arise due to the inhibition of senses while drinking liquor and these passions are nothing but different aspects of violence not mentioning domestic violence resulting from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Abandonment of Honey Along with the renunciation of liquor and meat, giving up honey is also included in the observance of the non-violence vow. The use of honey invariably entails the destruction of life as even the smallest drop of honey represents the death of innumerable bees, larva, pupa, and their eggs in the honeycomb. In addition, it is important to note that it takes nearly a million bees to create 1 pound of honey and in fact, honey is the regurgitated material from the stomach of bees. Dress and Decoration Jains are also required to pursue the path of nonviolence in the way they dress. They should not wear furs and plumes (a feather or bunch of feathers used as a decoration, especially on a hat or helmet) that are obtained by torturing and then killing animals and birds. For the same reason, the use of silk and woolen garments is prohibited for all Jains. We should also avoid all leather articles.
JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE - 2